Cedar Rapids is not hail alley, but it is not exempt either — the area averages about 5 hail-producing storms a year. When a cell does track over the county, the reports below tell you the date, the stone size, and how close it came.
Cedar Rapids's Storm-Climate Context
Cedar Rapids experiences some of the most punishing weather in the Midwest. The record high of 110 F on July 6, 1911, and record low of -30 F on January 31, 2019, define a wide swing that cycles roofing materials through constant thermal stress. Average annual snowfall of 26.7 inches imposes significant snow load and prolific freeze-thaw damage to shingles and seams each winter. The August 10, 2020 derecho struck with sustained winds of 60-80 mph and gusts measured above 110 mph, causing widespread structural roof damage across the city. Catastrophic flooding in June 2008, when the Cedar River crested at 31.12 feet, added moisture-intrusion and structural damage to countless roofs and underlayments. Hail from summer convective storms compounds granule loss seasonally.
Cedar Rapids counted 137,710 residents in the 2020 census, making it Iowa's second largest city. Collins Aerospace is the dominant private employer with 5,000 to 9,999 workers on site, anchoring a manufacturing and aerospace economy that drives steady commercial and industrial roofing demand. Cedar Rapids also ranks among the world's largest corn-processing centers, with grain processing supporting roughly 4,000 jobs. This mix of large industrial employers and a dense residential base creates consistent roofing demand across both commercial and residential sectors.
Hail Events Near Cedar Rapids by Date
July 20, 2026 — 1 report, hail up to 1.00″ (quarter size)
| Time (UTC) | Hail size | Location | Distance from Cedar Rapids |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1604 | 1.00″ | Fairfax, Linn County | 7.1 mi |
Preliminary Local Storm Reports from the NOAA Storm Prediction Center. Sizes are reported hailstone diameters; times are UTC. Reports can be added or corrected for about a day after each event. A quiet page section ≠ no hail — smaller or unreported events happen. The closest report in this window landed 7.1 miles from Cedar Rapids's center.
View these 1 report on a map
Circle positions are the NOAA SPC report coordinates; tap a circle for the date and hail size.
Hail size: < 1″ 1–1.75″ ≥ 2″ not recorded
How Severe Was It? The NWS Yardstick, Applied to Cedar Rapids's Reports
The National Weather Service calls hail severe at 1″ (quarter size) and significant at 2″ (hen-egg size). Scoring the 1 Cedar Rapids-area report (filed in Linn County) against that scale: 1 of them met the severe 1″+ criterion — the size at which asphalt shingles start taking granule loss and bruising that shows up as leaks a season later. Damage at these sizes is rarely visible from the ground but is typically covered by homeowners insurance when documented promptly.
What to Do If Your Roof Was in the Hail Path
- Do a ground-level walk-around. Hail is rare enough around Cedar Rapids that most homeowners never think to check — look for granules collecting at downspouts, dented gutters or screens, and battered plants after the July 20, 2026 report above. Stay off the roof itself.
- Photograph anything suspicious with dates. Even minor-looking marks matter later: this NOAA log plus dated photos connect the damage to a covered storm event instead of "gradual wear", which insurers exclude.
- Book a free inspection rather than guessing. Bruised shingles and granule loss are invisible from the ground; a written scope from a local roofer settles whether there is a claim at all.
- Only involve the insurer once you know the scope. If the inspection finds nothing, you have lost nothing; if it finds damage, file within your policy's window while the event date is easy to prove.
- Bring the written scope to the adjuster. Full walkthrough in the roof insurance claim guide.
Hail History in Cedar Rapids — the 10-Year Picture
The county behind Cedar Rapids has logged 105 hail events over the last decade — a pace of roughly 10 per year — with the most severe stone measured at 2.75″. Against that 10-year baseline, the 1 hail day in this 90-day window run below the long-term average rate. Cedar Rapids averages 5 hail-producing storms per year — check hail risk lookup for your address.
Compared to the Iowa county median of 60 hail events over 10 years, Cedar Rapids's county runs 1.8× above average — an exposure level that pushes local insurers toward higher wind-and-hail premium tiers and makes impact-resistant shingles a cost-effective upgrade.
Cedar Rapids's County, Year by Year (NOAA Archive)
| Year | Recorded hail events | Largest stone |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4 | 1.00″ |
| 2023 | 28 | 1.75″ |
| 2022 | 5 | 1.00″ |
| 2021 | 2 | 1.75″ |
| 2020 busiest largest stone | 35 | 2.75″ |
| 2019 | 6 | 0.88″ |
| 2018 | 4 | 1.75″ |
| 2017 | 20 | 1.75″ |
| 2016 | 1 | 0.88″ |
NOAA Storm Events archive, Cedar Rapids's county. Years with no row logged no hail events.
2020 was the county's standout hail year on both counts: the most recorded events (35) and the largest stone (2.75″). Roofs installed before that season have already survived the local worst case — or absorbed damage that was never inspected.
Hail in Cedar Rapids — Questions Homeowners Ask
Check Your Own ZIP in Cedar Rapids
The county-level history above averages over the whole area. For a score tied to your address, run your ZIP through the hail risk lookup — Cedar Rapids ZIP codes include 52401, 52403, 52404, 52409, 52427.
Cedar Rapids Neighborhoods — Hail Exposure Varies by Area
Hail paths track with storm cell movement, not city limits. If you're in Westwood, North Park, East High School, Hawkeye Trails or Cedar Rapids Downtown, check your specific street against the report locations above — distance from Cedar Rapids's center is listed for each report.
More Resources
Roofing contractors in Cedar Rapids · Storm damage repair in Cedar Rapids · Insurance claim guide · Hail insurance claims in Iowa · Roof replacement costs in Cedar Rapids · Emergency roof repair